Raavan - The Good, The Bad and The Beautiful

Let me begin by stating the moral of the story: There's good in everything that's bad and there's bad in everything that's good. I haven't really stated a spoiler here. This is something that everyone would probably know and expect from the movie by now.

Raavan is a testimony to the validity of that statement.

A modern-day Ramayan, a remake yet again - Good. Rendered in a manner that makes a mockery of the plot - Bad.

Fantastic cinematography, probably the best that one has seen in a long time - Good. Continuously hyperactive camera movements that leave you with motion-sickness - Bad.

A superbly talented director with some scenes that have been delivered to brilliant performances - Good. Losing the plot and the bigger picture in the screenplay and storytelling - Bad.

The intention to portray an extremely strong protagonist - Good. Abhishek's performance going over-the-top and caricaturish - Bad.

Shooting in exotic locales in apparently impossible shoot conditions - Good. The total inability of maintaining consistency and continuity in the changing geography - Bad.

Works the other way round too.

Unnecessary songs which are long-winding and end up hampering the storyline - Bad. Rahman and Gulzar's talent - Good.

Aishwarya Rai's character ending up being just a woman who just screams pointlessly - Bad. Her being extremely easy on the eye - Good.

Not having enough meat for the roles of the supporting cast - Bad. Ravi Kishan's and Priyamani's brilliant performances, despite that - Good.

All in all, Raavan seems to be a film that has been sacrificed at the altar of micro-management. In the attempt to make every frame a work of art, the overall film has gaping holes. In the attempt to capture every lip-quiver in slo-mo and extreme close-up, the characters end up being uni-dimensional and boring.

Better to see Shrek, if you want to see an ogre with a golden heart.

Better to see National Geographic at home, if you want to see stunning locales.

Better to see Yuva, if you want to see Abhishek doing an anti-hero with impact.

Better to see Roja, if you want to see what Mani Ratnam is capable of.

Better to see Jodha Akbar, if you want to see Aishwarya Rai looking gorgeous.